Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!rpi.edu!tale
From: tale@pawl.rpi.edu (David C Lawrence)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: RFC
Summary: See RFC 1111 for more info
Message-ID: <7235@rpi.edu>
Date: 12 Sep 89 20:58:32 GMT
References: <564@cwjcc.CWRU.Edu>
Sender: usenet@rpi.edu
Reply-To: tale@pawl.rpi.edu
Lines: 50

RFC stands for "Request For Comments".  From RFC 1111:

    RFCs are distributed online by being stored as public access files,
    and a short message is sent to the distribution list indicating the
    availability of the memo.

    The online files are copied by the interested people and printed or
    displayed at their site on their equipment.  (An RFC may also be
    returned via email in response to an email query.)  This means that
    the format of the online files must meet the constraints of a wide
    variety of printing and display equipment.

RFCs are written for several reasons.  Referring again to 1111:

    There are several reasons for publishing a memo as an RFC, for
    example, to make available some information for interested people,
    or to begin or continue a discussion of an interesting idea, or to
    make available the specification of a protocol.

In the first paragraph it was mentioned that a short message is sent
to the distribution list when a new memo is available.  Administrative
requests (as to be added or removed) regarding that mailing list
should be directed via email to rfc-request@nic.ddn.mil.

RFCs can be obtained any number of ways; the methods offered in RFC
1111 are:

    RFCs can be obtained via FTP from NIC.DDN.MIL, with the pathname
    RFC:RFCnnnn.TXT (where "nnnn" refers to the number of the RFC).
    Login with FTP, username ANONYMOUS and password GUEST.

    The NIC also provides an automatic mail service for those sites which
    cannot use FTP.  Address the request to SERVICE@NIC.DDN.MIL and in
    the subject field of the message indicate the RFC number, as in
    "Subject: RFC nnnn".

    [...]

    The RFCs may also be obtained from other information centers,
    including the CSNET Information Center (INFO@SH.CS.NET), the NSFNET
    Information Service (INFO@NIS.NSF.NET).

You might be able to find them locally, though.  For example, at
Rensselaer the RFCs are kept online under the RFC ID on the campus
mainframe.  Your postmaster would likely know if any RFCs are stored
in your local area.

Dave
--
 (setq mail '("tale@pawl.rpi.edu" "tale@itsgw.rpi.edu" "tale@rpitsmts.bitnet"))